Distributed energy system edge unit

Abstract

In accordance with aspects of the present invention a distributed energy system edge unit is presented. An edge unit includes a power grid interface; one or more device interfaces; a processing unit coupled to the power grid interface and the one or more device interfaces, the processing unit including a communication state that allows communications with an external entity; a control and monitor state that communicates with the communication state; a check unit state that communicates with the control and monitor state and provides a unit state data; wherein the control and monitor state and the communication state provide an instruction data set, current operating parameters according to the unit state data, the instruction set data, and a characterization parameter data, and wherein the control and monitor state provides control signals to the power grid interface and the one or more device interfaces.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An edge unit, comprising:
 a power grid interface;   one or more device interfaces;   a processing unit coupled to the power grid interface and the one or more device interfaces, the processing unit including
 a communication state that allows communications with an external entity; 
 a control and monitor state that communicates with the communication state; 
 a check unit state that communicates with the control and monitor state and provides a unit state data; 
 wherein the control and monitor state and the communication state provide an instruction data set, current operating parameters according to the unit state data, the instruction set data, and a characterization parameter data, and 
 wherein the control and monitor state provides control signals to the power grid interface and the one or more device interfaces. 
   
     
     
         2 . The edge unit of  claim 1 , wherein the control and monitor state includes
 a configuration command executor;   a plurality of programs, each of the plurality of programs receiving a configuration from the configuration command executor and each of the plurality of programs generating a mode;   a negotiator that receives a vote from each of the plurality of programs and chooses a winning mode to execute based on the vote; and   a mode enforcer receiving the winning mode from the negotiator, generating the current operating parameters based on the winning mode, providing instructions to one or more interface drivers to execute the operating parameters.   
     
     
         3 . The edge unit of  claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of programs has a priority and the negotiator considers the priority with the vote from each of the plurality of programs to choose the winning mode. 
     
     
         4 . The edge unit of  claim 3 , wherein the priority is based on the type of program, with the plurality of programs be prioritized in order of safety, longevity, utility demands, consumer interests, and default programs. 
     
     
         5 . The edge unit of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of programs includes one or more of rule set programs, sequence programs, override programs, timeline programs, PV self-consumption programs, energy arbitrage programs, power flow limiting programs, alert programs, and client tag timeline programs. 
     
     
         6 . The edge unit of  claim 2 , wherein the interface drivers provide operating signals to the power grid interface and the one or more device interfaces. 
     
     
         7 . The edge unit of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more device interfaces includes one or more storage interfaces to one or more storage devices. 
     
     
         8 . The edge unit of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more storage devices includes a battery. 
     
     
         9 . The edge unit of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more device interfaces includes one or more generator interfaces to one or more energy generation device. 
     
     
         10 . The edge unit of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more energy generation device can include one or more devices from a set consisting of photo-voltaic solar generators, fuel cell generators, hydro-electric generators, and internal combustion generators. 
     
     
         11 . A method of operating a distributed energy system edge unit, comprising:
 receiving an instruction set;   monitoring a state of the edge unit to provide unit state data;   providing current operating parameters according to the instruction set, the unit state data, and characterization parameter data; and   providing control signals to a power grid interface that couples the edge unit to a power grid and one or more device interfaces that couple the edge unit to one or more devices.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further including
 providing a configuration to each of a plurality of programs;   each of the plurality of programs generating a mode based on the configuration, the instruction set, and the current state;   negotiating a winning mode based on a vote from each of the plurality of programs;   enforcing the winning mode by generating operating parameters based on the mode and providing control signals to the power grid interfaces and the one or more device interfaces.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of programs has a priority and negotiating the winning mode includes considering the priority of the program with the vote from each of the plurality of programs to choose the winning mode. 
     
     
         14 . The edge unit of  claim 13 , wherein the priority is based on the type of program, with the plurality of programs be prioritized in order of safety, longevity, utility demands, consumer interests, and default programs. 
     
     
         15 . The edge unit of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of programs includes one or more of rule set programs, sequence programs, override programs, timeline programs, PV self-consumption programs, energy arbitrage programs, power flow limiting programs, alert programs, and client tag timeline programs. 
     
     
         16 . The edge unit of  claim 12 , wherein control signals are generated by interface drivers that provide the operating signals to the power grid interface and the one or more device interfaces. 
     
     
         17 . The edge unit of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more device interfaces includes one or more storage interfaces to one or more storage devices. 
     
     
         18 . The edge unit of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more storage devices includes a battery. 
     
     
         19 . The edge unit of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more device interfaces includes one or more generator interfaces to one or more energy generation device. 
     
     
         20 . The edge unit of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more energy generation device can include one or more devices from a set consisting of photo-voltaic solar generators, fuel cell generators, hydro-electric generators, and internal combustion generators.